Sarah Harness allowed one hit and Nebraska tallied 11 hits as the Husker softball team picked up the 10-2 run-rule victory over Missouri State on Saturday afternoon at the Shocker Classic.
Harness (6-3) pitched the complete game, holding Missouri State to one hit and two runs while tallying four strikeouts through five innings.
Offensively, the entire Husker lineup recorded a hit while seven of the nine added a run. Billie Andrews went 2-for-3 with one home run, one RBI and three runs. Caitlynn Neal went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
With the win, Nebraska improved to 15-7 on the season, Missouri State, a 2022 NCAA Tournament qualifier, fell to 8-11. McKenzie Vaughn (1-3) was charged with the loss after allowing six runs in 2.0 innings.
The Bears took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. A throwing error and two walks loaded the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly from Tess Weakly scored one. On a fly out, the runner at third looked to score, but Talia Tokheim threw home, getting the runner out at home.
The Huskers responded quickly in the first with five runs. Billie Andrews led with a walk. With one out, Mya Felder doubled to left field, putting runners at second and third. Ava Bredwell was walked to load the bases. Katelyn Caneda singled up the middle, scoring Andrews and Felder. Brooke Andrews reached on a Missouri State fielding error, loading the bases. Tokheim doubled down the left field line, scoring Caneda and Bredwell. Abbie Squier added a sacrifice bunt, scoring Andrews, as the Huskers took the 5-1 lead.
NU added another run in the second inning with a solo home run shot from Billie Andrews. The Huskers went into the third inning ahead, 6-1.
After a quiet third inning, the Big Red added three runs in the fourth. With one out, Billie Andrews and Neal each added a single. Felder was walked to load the bases. Bredwell singled to left field, scoring Andrews. Caneda followed, reaching on a fielder’s choice, scoring Neal. With two outs, Brooke Andrews singled, scoring the third run of the inning as NU extended the advantage to 9-1.
Missouri State tallied one run in the top of the fifth. With one on after being hit by a pitch, Ellie McCoy recorded the first hit of the day for the Bears with a double to right center. A wild pitch allowed one run to score. NU went into the bottom of the fifth up, 9-2.
Squier led off with a single to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning. Haidyn Warner followed with her first career hit as a Husker with a single up the middle, moving Squier to third. With one out, Neal hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Squier, and securing the run-rule victory, 10-2.
The Nebraska softball team fell to No. 23 Wichita State (18-4) on Saturday afternoon in the second game of the day at the Shocker Classic. The Huskers moved to 15-8 on the season after falling, 10-1, to the Shockers in five innings.
The Huskers took an early 1-0 lead, but Wichita State recorded three two-run innings and a four-run second inning to run away with the win.
Courtney Wallace led the Big Red offense, finishing 2-for-2 with a triple. Lauren Mills led the Wichita State offense as she went 2-for-2 with a three-run double in the second inning. Sydney McKinney and Addison Barnard each added two hits for the Shockers.
Wallace (8-4) recorded the loss for Nebraska. The senior pitched the complete game, giving up 10 hits and 10 runs. Lauren Howell (8-1) led the Shockers in the circle, picking up the win. Howell pitched the complete game, holding NU to five hits and one run.
The Huskers got on the board early, scoring one in the first inning. Billie Andrews led off with a double followed by a single from Caitlynn Neal. Felder hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Andrews and giving NU the early 1-0 advantage.
The Shockers responded with two runs in the bottom of the first. With one out, Addison Barnard hit a solo homer to tie the game. Back-to-back walks put runners on first and second with two outs. A single from Sami Hood, scored the second run of the innings as Wichita State took a 2-1 lead.
Wichita State added four runs in the bottom of the second. With two outs, two singles and a walk loaded the bases. A walk brought in the first run of the inning. Mills hit a bases-clearing double to center field, extending the Shocker lead to 6-1.
WSU added two more in the third. A walk, a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third. RBI singles from McKinney and Barnard brought in two runs, extending the lead to 8-1.
The Shockers added two more in the bottom of the fourth. A lead off single put one runner on. With one out, Taylor Sedlacek hit the second homer of the game, scoring two as Wichita State went into the fifth inning up, 10-1.
Wallace led off with a single in the fifth, but NU was unable to capitalize, falling to the Shockers, 10-1, in five innings.
The Huskers return to action Sunday, March 12 at 12 p.m. (CT) to face Missouri State.
